Brick-kiln



W. SWINDELL.

l2 sheets-sheet 1.

BRICK KILN.

(No Model.)

Patented July 26, 1892.

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W. SWINDELL.

B RIG K KILN.

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'NTTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

VILLIAM SVINDELL, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRICK-KILN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,679, dated July 26, 1892.

Application filed January 6, 1892. Serial No. 417,153. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SWINDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Kilns,of which improvement the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in kilns for burning bricks and earthenware, &c.; and it has for its object an arrangement of kilns in such relation to a com mon air-regenerating chamber and gas-producers that all the kilns may be heated at the same time or only one or two may be operated, while the others are being charged.

In general terms the invention consists in the arrangement and combination substantially as hereinafter more fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional plan View of my improved plant, the planes of section being indicated by the lines cc, Fig. 4. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sectional elevations, the planes of section being indicated by the lines s s, t t, and 'U 1;, respectively.

In the practice of my invention I provide a series of two or more producers 1, dependent upon the number and size of the kilns to be heated, and connect them by bonnet-dues 2 with the gas-dues 3, which preferably extend in opposite directions for a short distance and then parallel, or approximately so, With each other for a distance dependent upon the number of kilns to be connected to them. Each of these main gas-iiues is provided with branch dues 4, which extend in under the hearths of the kilns A, B, C, and D and connect With annular lues 6, these in turn being connected by radial dues 7 with the vertical inlet-dues S, arranged, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, in or approximately in the center of the hearths of the kilns and snrrounded by the annular lines 6 and 9. The annular flues 9 are also connected to the inlet-fines 8 by radial dues 10, and from said annular fines extend the horizontal flues 11 111D 11c 11d, which converge, as shown in Fig. 1, to one end of the regenerator 12 and connect with a chamber 13.

The fines 11a and 111 are represented in dotted lines. The regenerator is constructed with a series of air-passages 14 and alternating passages 15 t'or the products of combustion. At one end of the regenerator the airpassages connect with the chamber 13 and at the opposite end With an overlying chamber 16, having a suitable opening for the admission of air, as shown in Fig. 1. The passages 15 connect at one end With a flue or chamber 17, which connects with the stack 1S, and at their opposite ends with a flue or chamber 19, overlying the passages 14 and 15 of the regenerator. This chamber or lue is connected by tlues 2O with the annular tlues 2l in the.

hearths ofthe kilns. The dues of the kilns C and D, corresponding to the annular flues 21 and lues 20 ot the kilns A and B, are not shown, but correspond in location and construction with said lines 2O and 21. The products of combustion pass from the kilns into the annular flues 2l by openings 22 in' the hearths of the kilns, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the operation of my improved plant the air enters through the chamber 16, flows along the passages 14 of the regenerator to the chamber 18, thence along the fiues 11211, 11, and 11d to the annular dues ot' the kilns, and thence by the radial dues 10 to the inletiiues S. Here it mingles with the gas, which flows from the producers along the tlues 3, branch dues 4, annular flues 6, and radial lues 7 to the inlet-dues 8. The gas and air, entering, as they do, in a series of jets, are thoroughly commingled before entering the kilns, where combustion occurs. The products of combustion escape by the openings 22 into the annular dues 21 and dow thence by the flues 20, chamber 19, passages 15, and flue 17 to the stack.

By reference to Fig. 1 it Will be seen that each of the branch Iiues 4, air-lines 11, 11b, 11C, and 11d, and tlues 2O for the products of combustion are provided with grooves 23 in their side Walls for the reception of valves whereby any one or more of the kilns maybe cut out for removing a charge from the kilns and recharging the saine.

As articles of earthenware,bricks, dtc.,con tain considerable moisture when charged into the kilns, it is necessary to provide for conducting the steam generated during the drying IOO thereof direct to the stack, as the steam would cool down the regenerators. To this end the fines for the products ot' combustion are provided with branch fines 24 (only one being shown) direct to the stack or stackflue, and said flues are provided with grooves 25 in their side Walls for the reception of valves,

y which are closed in the normal operation of the kilns. As soon as a kiln is freshly charged, the valves of the several flues leading thereto having been previouslyT closed, as herein stated, the valves of the gas and air lines 4 and 20 and the branch iiue 24 are opened, so that the course of the gas and air will be normal; but the products of combustion will be conducted direct to the stack and not through the regenerator. As soon as all or nearly all the moisture has been driven out the valve in the flue 2O is opened and the valve in the branch flue closed.

It may be desirable at times to subject the articles in the kilns to a milder heat than that generated by combustion of the gas and air in the kiln. I therefore provide for conducting the heatand products of combustion from one kiln to another by connecting the tops of the kilns by a pipe 26, which is provided with suitable regulating-valves 27, as shown in Fig. 4.

When a kiln is to be heated by the products of combustion from another kiln, the valves of the gas and air fines of the kiln to beheated and of the Hue 2O of the kiln from which the products of combustion are to be drawn are closed,so that the products of combustion pass from one kiln to the other, and thence to the regenerator or direct to the stack by ues 24.

In order to provide for cleaning the gasues, the main gas-fines are connected by a iiue 28 with the stack, and this flue, as well as the flue 17 and the bonnet-fines 2, are provided with valves 29, 30, and 3l, respectively. When the gas-lines are to be cleaned, the valves 30 and 3l are closed,thereb v stopping the normal flow of the products of combustion and gas, and the valve 2.9isopened. rlhe draft of the stack will then cause the heated air as it enters the inletflues 8 to iow ont through the radial flues 7 to the annularilues 6 and thence along the flues 4, 3, and 28 to the stack. As soon as the heated air enters the gas-fines the deposits therein will ignite and quickly burn out. This cleansing of the gasflues can be effected without any material cooling down of the kilns.

It will be readily understood by the skilled furnace-builder that the relative arrangement of the kilns, regenerator, and gas-producers, with their connectingues, may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention-as, for example, the lines connecting the kilns and gas-producers connected midway of its length, so as to insure a more uniform distribution of the gas to allthe kilns. While a long traverse of the gas is undesirable, the producers may be connected at any point along the length of the gas-flue, which may be made straight instead of U shape, as shown.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. The combination of a series of two or more kilns, gas-producers, fines connecting the producers and kilns, and a regenerator having ue connections for air and products of combustion With each of the kilns, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a series of two or more kilns, gas-producers, iues connecting the producers and kilns, a regenerator having flue connections for air and products of combustion with each of the kilns, and valves in the lilies for the gas, air, and products of combustion, whereby one or more of the kilns may be cut out of operation, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a series of two or more kilns, gas-producers, flues connecting the producers and kilns, a regenerator having (ine connections for air and products of combustion with the kilns, valves in the iiues for the products of combustion, and flues provided with valves for conducting the products of combustion from each kiln direct to the stack, substantially as set forth.

4L. The combination of a series of two or more kilns, gas-producers, flues connecting the producers and kilns,a regenerator having flue connections for air and products of combustion with the kilns, valves for opening and closing the air and gas fines of each kiln, and a pipe or flue provided Withyalves connecting the kilns in pairs at the tops thereof, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a series of two or more kilns, gas-producers, fines provided with valves connecting the producers and kilns, a regenerator having ue connections for air and products of combustion with each of the kilns, valves located in said flue connections, a pipe or flue provided with valves connecting the iiues in pairs at the tops thereof, and lines provided with valves for conducting the products of combustion direct to the stack, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a series of two or more kilns, gas-producers, flues connecting the producers and kilns, Valves for stopping the flow of gas from the producers to the flues, a regenerator having flue connections for air and products of combustion with each of the kilns, a valve interposed between the regenerator and stack, and a Hue provided with a valve connecting the stack with the gas-fines at or near their junction with the producers, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

. WILLIAM swiNDELL.

Vitnesses:

DARWIN S. VoLoo'rT, DAVID S. MCCANN.

IOO 

